#is there an acronym for how to be a serial killer?

[knoxcountry]

i tried to make a mike wilson pony not sure if it actually looks like him or not… he is so green

[watarfallar]

Shoving these down your throats

Mumbo: Did you bring Lizzie? Cleo, gesturing to Etho: No, but I brought the next best thing. Mumbo: Etho? The next best thing would be Gem. Etho: I would be offended, but Gem is freakishly strong.

artyn: You're just jealous. All my friends tell me I remind them of Gem. The Squad: *screaming* Skizz: They look like Gem? Are you out of your fucking MIND? Scar: Gem, sweetie, I am SO sorry. I am SO SORRY that an ugly-ass bitch like this would even say that. Oh my god. Skizz: Gem? Gem? Gem? You know who you fucking look like? You fucking look like BigB!

Tango: Hey, how did my phone break? Lizzie: You were drunk yesterday. Tango: And? Skizz: You threw it. Tango: Why? Scott: You turned on airplane mode and kept screaming “FLY DAMN YOU!” Tango: And why didn’t you stop me?! Ren: We were busy laughing our asses off.

Bdubs: Hey, can we stay in your dorm tonight? Mumbo: Why? Bdubs: Impulse fiddled with an ouija board and cursed ours. BigB: Jimmy doesn't know how to banish spirits, so they just throw salt at them and yell "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A HOTEL TO YOU?!"

Grian: What's the scariest horror movie you've ever watched? Pearl: IT. Scott: Annabelle. Jimmy: Paranormal Activity. Joel: High School Musical. All throughout high school I was scared that everyone was gonna randomly get up and start singing and dancing, and I would be the only one who doesn't know the words.

Etho: You know what? Etho: When I join this friend group I thought you guys would be dealing with my bullshit. *Scott, Skizz and Grian continue screaming about mold water* Etho:Not the other way around. Impulse: I dunno, sounds like you need to drink the mold water.

Impulse: How do I ask someone out? Jimmy: Roses are red, violets are blue, guess what, my bed has room for two. Impulse: No! BigB: Twinkle twinkle little star, we can do it in a car. Impulse: Stop! Joel: Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily I can make you scream. Impulse: I feel like the last one is verging dangerously into serial killer territory.

Martyn: When I see really attractive people like Scar, I just laugh because I know if we lived in the Aztec culture, they'd be sacrificed for their beauty. Jimmy: I mean, that's one way to cope with not being attractive. Impulse: Works for me.

Tango: What's the most efficient way to burn calories? Skizz: Exercise more! Scott: Set yourself on fire. Jimmy: There are two kinds of people.

Bdubs, writing in a letter: "I'm going to kick.. your... ass." Bdubs: THERE. Now send it. Joel: Dude, your handwriting's terrible, are you sure you want to- Bdubs: JUST DO IT! later Etho: So what does it say? Lizzie, reading the letter: They say they're going to "lick my...." Etho: Lizzie: Etho: Gross-

Ren: Why did you kidnap Etho!?!?! Pearl: Ah- um- well- the reason for that is, uhh... Joel: Sometimes, we must work together towards a common goal. Ren: NOT TO KIDNAP PEOPLE!

Tango: Subs are so fun to play with. All you have to do is hint at what you might do, back them into a corner with a look, or grab their wrist in a certain way and they're a wide-eyed mess. Scar: What the fuck kind of Subway are you going to? Ren: Substitute teachers deal with so much shit. Skizz: Guys.

Gem: It’s Christmas! Are you all in a Christmas mood?! Jimmy: Merry crisis. Ren: Jingle bells, jingle bells, single all the way. Scott: Hoe hoe hoe. Gem: Guys, please.

Mumbo: How would you guys deal with a toxic friend? Gem: Tell them how you really feel. Pearl: Slowly distance yourself from them. Lizzie: Engage in a 1v1 sword battle and if they lose they have to stop being toxic or pay the price. Mumbo, being handed a sword: …well heck.

Bdubs, filling out legal paperwork: Were you guys born AMAB or AFAB? Tango: Bold of you to assume I was born at all. Cleo: I personally was created in a lab. Jimmy: I just straight up spawned lol.

Gem: Is the plural of milf/dilf milfs/dilfs or milves/dilves? Impulse: Milfs. Grian: Milf/dilf is an acronym, you can't change the spelling to milves/dilves. Gem: Wait, they're acronyms? What do they stand for??? Tango: Mom in late forties, dad in late fourties. Tango: I learned that from the movie called M.I.L.F that I saw the trailer of in theaters probably 5 to 7 years ago. Grian: Mom/dad I'd Love to Fuck. Gem: WAIT, WHAT THE FUCK— Gem: I NEVER REALIZED IT WAS ACTUALLY HORNY! Tango: Oh, is it not mom in late fouries? Impulse: What? No! It isn't! Tango: THE MOVIE TRAILER LIED TO ME! Grian: Tango... Tango: THIS IS WHY I DIDN'T THINK CALLING PEOPLE MILFS WAS ALL THAT BAD BECAUSE IT STOOD FOR SOMETHING HARMLESS IT JUST HAD A SLIGHTLY SEXUAL CONNOTATION! Grian: I am entirely unsurprised that this is coming from you. Tango: GEM, DOES IT MAKE SENSE WHY I CALLED THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID MOM A MILF NOW BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LITERALLY JUST A DESCRIPTOR WITH FUNNY CONNOTATION! Gem: The word milf has been ruined for me. Impulse: THAT'S ITS DEFINITION, IT CAN'T BE RUINED THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS! Grian: Y'all are dumbasses.

Martyn: Why are you smiling? Jimmy: What? I can’t just be happy? Cleo: Ren tripped and fell in the parking lot.

Tango: A stake to the heart won't kill a vampire if their tits are big enough. Ren: Yeah, you just catch it. Impulse: Nah nah nah, deflects it. Stake? Just bounces right off. Done. Back to doing hot girl shit. Scar: Then I just use a spear instead. Tango: You are trying so hard to kill a vampire with big bazongas, and for what? Why would you do that to the ecosystem?

Scott: I have a question. BigB: Shoot. Scott: Is the S or C in scent silent? Martyn: Fuck you, I’m going to be thinking about this all day. BigB: Okay well, cent is pronounced the same way as scent so I’m gonna say the S is silent. Scott: Okay, but sent is also spelled the same way. Martyn: Google says that the C was added in the late seventeenth century, so I guess the S is silent. Lizzie: Plot twist, both the S and the C are silent and the E actually makes the sss sound. Martyn: Lizzie is not allowed to talk anymore.

Skizz: I didn’t know that air fryers are a real thing. Used to think that they were made up by the internet as a funny joke and that their purpose was to “fry air”. Impulse: WAIT, BUT IT FRIES THE AIR TO FRY THE FOOD?? Skizz: I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS A KITCHEN APPLIANCE, MY FIRST ASSUMPTION WAS SOMETHING AKIN TO AN AIR CONDITIONER! Scott: IT’S NOT LIKE AN AIR CONDITIONER???? Scar: You guys clearly don’t own an air fryer.

*The gang when they drop food on the floor* Etho: Aw man. *Throws it away* Ren: Five second rule! Grian: Foolish germs, thinking they can stop me!? *Eats it off the floor* Tango: *Sobs on the floor*

Tango: I’m gonna die alone. Bdubs: Tango, you’re not gonna die alone. Tango: Jimmy, was my safety net, okay? They got married and now I have to get a snake. Etho: Uh-huh. Why is that? Tango: If I’m gonna be an old lonely person, I’m gonna need a thing, you know? A hook. Like that guy in the subway who eats his own face. Tango: So I figured I’ll be “Crazy Man With A Snake”, you know? Crazy snake man. Tango: Then I’ll get more snakes, call them my babies. Kids won’t walk past my place, they will run! RUN AWAY FROM CRAZY SNAKE MAN!

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for how I tried to convince my RP partner that not all pwNPD are abusers?

The story is basically what the title says. I'm not giving out genders/ages for anonymity, but everyone involved here is an older teenager or young adult. Someone who I used to be friends with is incredibly biased against people with Cluster B personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder). In the past, she has implied that all people with narcissistic personality disorder are abusers and that all people with antisocial personality disorder are serial killers. Her reasoning for this is that she was abused in the past by someone with NPD and therefore considers ALL people with a Cluster B disorder to be dangerous.

(to be fair, I don't know if she feels the same way about BPD or HPD, since she has never mentioned either before and I don't dare to lol)

Although I was and still am scared to directly confront her about her viewpoints, I tried challenging them through the roleplays we do together. I introduced a character who would've likely been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder if she was older (she's 17 in the RP). She was portrayed as kind and generous, so I purposefully introduced her to show my friend that people with personality disorders can be good people, even if some of them are abusers. I didn't directly tell her that the character was supposed to represent narcissistic personality disorder, as none of us list the diagnoses of characters.

This wasn't the first character with implied NPD that I had submitted. Rather, there was another character who existed at the time and was just reduced to "insecure villain," which made them rather offensive as "representation." I later removed this character, although I originally tried to "fix" the character by balancing them out with better representation. So, I definitely wasn't trying to claim that people with NPD can't be abusers, ever. Rather, I wanted to show that people with NPD have the potential to be good and bad people.

Eventually, I one day had a mental breakdown for unrelated reasons and "apologized" to my ex-friend, admitting that part of the reason I'd introduced the character was to change her mind. While I don't actually feel bad for introducing the character, I still think I'm an asshole for giving a fake apology for something I don't feel sorry about, as I apologized with the intent of pushing her away rather than showing remorse.

After that, we've kind of put up a fair bit of distance between each other. She's being nice to me because... well, I've convinced her that I'm open to her ableist viewpoints by being a total pushover (another AH move of mine, yippee /s), and I'm staying on good terms with her because I don't want the drama and hurt that comes with formally ending a friendship. I feel like this is an ESH situation, with my friend being an AH for having shitty views and me being an AH for not knowing how to use the block button, but I wanted to hear what others had to think.

What are these acronyms?

[luvinmads]

Hannibal's ocd headcanons!

cw: very basic talk about mental health and ocd, can be triggering so be aware.

Three people said I should share my headcanons so here I am, first of all what's ocd? OCD is the acronym for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental disorder that affects daily life making the person have intrusive thoughts that distress them and lead to compulsive behavior like the ones I'll be talking now.

Why do I headcanon that Hannibal has OCD?

through the series Hannibal shows a lot of subtle ticks, changes of behaviors, change of tones, subtle facial expressions that really made me realize that he has a lot of moments where their thoughts seem to fight his actions, something I feel a lot when I'm on a bad day, and I have a great amount of ocd symptoms (another undiagnosed thing, thanks argentinian healthcare) and so I made headcanons about it I won't extend to much on this.

What kind of OCD could distress Hannibal Lecter?

I know I know, a cannibalistic serial killer seen to be feeding his intrusive thoughts, but I don't think so, Hannibal's ocd has nothing to do with killing, hurting, made anything unmoral, Hannibal's OCD lays on dirtiness and rudeness.

Hannibal hates rude people, he hated rudeness as a whole and same thing with dirtiness, but not necessarily as something that's inherently bad, but something that he could never be and disgusts him profoundly.

What kind of intrusive thoughts does he have?

I've been thinking on a few and his consecuences.

Screaming in the middle of a lecture with other professionals, it distressed him to the point he stopped going.

Talking too loud or aggressive to someone else, he never ever raised his voice and sometimes even talked in whispers.

Yawning in the Opera, he ends up with his hand bleeding because he pinch himself from time to time to avoid it.

Forgetting his plastic suit, he can't even remember how many times he looked at himself, he knows he's wearing it, it can be so frustrating that he sometimes had to walk back and make sure of it twice plus times.

Being rude himself, sometimes his brain will scream insults and curses and he would go purposefully mute to avoid saying those words out loud.

Accidentally throwing garbage out of the trashcan, he has to make sure a lot even when he knows he did throw it in place.

What about Will rudeness?

I think Hannibal found Will's rudeness endearing because he was pretty not gonna lie, still there's moments when he seems about to correct him, but he doesn't, because for him correcting an adult man on his manner would show rudeness on his part.

Thank you for reading !

I'm one of those people who like to think a lot and I can't help but spiraling on some headcanons, maybe this could gave you all some fanfics ideas too.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

It Takes A Village

Fandom: YJ98, Flashfam, DC Comics

Summary: After witnessing Bart murder someone, his friends scramble to cover Bart's tracks and stumble upon an international scandal as a result.

(Minor background: Bart took a gap year, and Conner did two years of community college. This starts shortly after Bart's 19th birthday. So, Conner and Jenni are 20, Bart and Cissie are 19, Tim and Cassie are 18, I made Greta 17 for the sake of the fic, and Judy is 15. I decided to make Owen 22 and Thad 16 for plot reasons. Clark and Conner are brothers in this fic, and Clark is 12 years older for the sake of this fic, so he's 32.)

Chapters: 12/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Judy Garrick, Jay Garrick, Joan Garrick, Cissie King-Jones, Cassie Sandsmark, Tim Drake, Greta Hayes, Jenni Ognats, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Meloni Thawne, Clark Kent, Wally West, Linda Park, Courtney Whitmore, President Thawne

Relationship(s): KonBart, CissieCassie, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Serial Killer AU, No Powers AU, Angst, Dark Comedy, Bart Allen Kills in This Fic, Minor Thad Thawne, Separated in Childhood, Some Smut in This

Chapter Twelve: Little

Bart sat in the airport, waiting for Thad’s arrival. He was an hour early, sitting on his hands to stop them from shaking as he scanned the airport terminal. Three. He counted three people from Interlac. Two women and a man. He could tell by the way they carried themselves. The first woman stood near baggage claim, standing uncomfortably close to another woman, but not touching or interacting with her in any way. And her gestures were different. She brushed her forehead with two fingers to thank the man who helped her with her bags. The first woman was harmless, possibly a woman seeking asylum in the United States like Bart’s family. The second woman wore sunglasses while eating a snack he’d only seen back home. She carried a suitcase with a logo on it. Something using Interlac lettering. He remembered it from the observatory, but he never learned what the acronym stood for. She was either a doctor or a lawyer for the observatory. And from the lack of scarring on her face and arms, Bart assumed she was a lawyer. Then, the final person. The man. He stood at six feet, wearing a style of clothing that would’ve only been popular when he lived in Interlac. The man’s clothes were dated, but he had a darkened way about him. It took Bart a few minutes of staring before he recognized the man. He only caught a glimpse of him in the dark, but he could never forget his eyes. Downturned and cold like he had no soul at all. The last time he saw that man, he had a gun. Bart remembered hearing someone shout at the man, telling him to leave Bart alive, but his name wasn’t used. They used his test number… A-04. Bart didn’t understand it then, but he was always frightened by the man’s cold eyes. 

Why was he there? Bart swallowed hard, wanting to turn tail and run, but he couldn’t leave. Not without Thad. He knew his brother would panic as soon as he noticed the people there. Toward the end of Thad’s stay in the observatory, he was allowed to venture out of his controlled room, so he had more knowledge and context about their old home than Bart did. Bart was sure Thad would recognize the man. So, he had to find a way to block them from seeing each other. He had to control the environment. 

Thirty minutes passed and the first and second woman boarded a flight, but the man was still there. Bart pulled the brim of his bucket hat further down as he watched the man. He allowed another fifteen minutes to pass before he got up and spoke to someone, accusing the man of suspicious behavior. The woman nodded, and within three minutes, they pulled the man aside. They kept him preoccupied until Thad arrived. Bart quickly grabbed Thad’s bag, and he escorted his brother to the car. Once Bart got Thad into the car, he embraced him. “ How was your flight? ” Bart questioned in Interlac as he backed out of the lot. 

“Why are you in a hurry?” Thad asked in reply. Bart’s jaw tightened as he reached over and touched Thad’s forehead, parting his bangs where a cut healed. 

“I’m hungry… Who hit you? And don’t tell me you fell,” Bart asked. 

“I don’t know. Someone threw something when I was sitting outside, but they drove off before I could see,” Thad answered, “Are you angry at me?”

“I’m not mad at you… I’m happy you’re here. Listen, I took the day off, but I have a class in three hours. I promised Max that I’d look after you, so you’re coming with me,” Bart explained, “What do you feel like eating before class?” 

“Chicken salad,” Thad whispered. Bart fought the urge to suggest something else. 

“Okay. Chicken salad it is. Do you want a milkshake?” Bart asked. 

“Isn’t that a lot of sugar?” Thad replied. 

Bart sighed. “You’re staying with me, so the rules are different. There’s nothing wrong with a little something sweet every now and then,” Bart explained. 

**

“Thad, this is my roommate and one of my best friends, Cissie. Cissie, this is my little brother, Thad,” Bart introduced as Cissie came in from her morning class. Thad shook her hand.

Cissie leaned in, looking at Thad’s face. “You two could be twins… Man,” Cissie whispered. Thad and Bart exchanged glances. 

“I don’t see it,” they replied at the same time. Cissie chuckled. 

“Cute. Make yourself at home, Thad. We’re glad to have you here,” Cissie smiled as she washed her hands and reached into the fridge. 

Cissie took her juice to her room, leaving Thad and Bart alone again. Bart kissed the top of Thad’s head. “Your head smells weird,” Bart lied. 

Thad turned to him, half-scowling as he replied, “It’s called shampoo, Bart. You should try it.” 

Bart chuckled. “Did you get enough to eat?” Bart questioned. Thad nodded. 

“Did you do it?” Thad asked. 

“No,” Bart lied. He didn’t have to ask. He knew what Thad meant. He didn’t want his brothers mixed up in his mess. The urge to kill had him by the throat, and he was escalating. He wouldn’t drag his brothers down with him. “Why were you upset about Donnovan?” 

“I wasn’t upset that he was gone… I was shocked and scared about everything that would come from this. But I’m happy he’s gone. I was too scared to say that on Saturday when we talked,” Thad answered. 

Bart sat next to Thad at the counter. “What did he do to you?” Bart asked. 

“He told me I was expendable… And he told me I’d be killed if I wasn’t useful enough,” Thad whispered, “Bart, I never wanted to be a killer.” 

Bart took Thad by the shoulders and stared at him, his eyes were wild and severe, passionate and frightening. “You are a good person. You’re no killer. You are gentle, and I will make it up to you. I will do my best to make up for the pain they caused you. I know I can’t make it go away, but I can protect you from future harm. Come here,” Bart replied. 

Thad blinked hard, hesitating as he stood up to face Bart. Bart pulled him into a hug. Thad tensed before wrapping his arms around Bart. Thad reminded Bart of how small he used to be. He tightened his embrace and paused a moment before letting go. “Do you want me here?” Thad questioned.

“I do. I want you here. I want you around… And I’m happy to see you,” Bart replied as he pinched his brother’s cheek to get on his nerves. 

“Cut it out,” Thad whined as he swatted Bart’s hand away. His watch beeped. 

“Are you still using the CRAYDL system to—?” 

“And how do you cope? You smoke weed until it comes out of your ears… Right?” Thad snapped. Bart blinked hard. 

Bart knew he hit a sore spot with his brother, but he didn’t know how to fix it. Sometimes, he wished he knew what to say. “You’re right. It’s not any better,” Bart replied. 

Thad looked around the apartment. “Are you really gonna let me sleep in your room?” Thad questioned. 

“I cleaned my room. I promise,” Bart answered, “You’re bottom bunk.”

**

Bart woke Thad out of a nightmare by climbing into his bed. “Hey… Shhh… Shhh. You’re okay,” Bart whispered. Thad shot up, panting and shaking. “You’re alright. I’ve got you.”

Thad held Bart’s arm with tears in his eyes. “I wish I’d done it,” Thad whimpered. 

“Done what?” Bart smiled innocently as he pressed his forehead to Thad’s cheek. “Huh?”

“I wished I killed him myself… I wonder what it felt like. I wonder if he suffered,” Thad whispered. Bart softened. 

“That’s not you talking. You’re better than that. You’re a good kid. A sweet kid,” Bart replied. “You didn’t have it in you to hurt me when you met me… And you were raised to kill me. Look at us now. We’re brothers… And I love you. I love you so much.”

“There was one night where I got into the house… One night when you were fast asleep, and I could’ve—. I was so close. I could’ve done it, but I—.” 

“You aren’t a killer. You’re not even violent… And I’m sorry for how things went down when they did. I didn’t know you then,” Bart apologized. 

Thad took a few deep breaths and Bart hooked his arm closer to Thad, pulling him in closer. “Just breathe… I’m not going anywhere,” Bart whispered. Thad choked through sobs, and Bart shushed him. “I know… I know, Thad. They gave you to me. Someone I can understand… And you’re here. And you’re mine. My baby brother.” 

Bart’s phone vibrated, and Thad reached for it. “It’s Grandpa Barry,” Thad mumbled. 

“Want me to answer it?” Bart asked. Thad nodded. Bart took a breath and answered the phone. “Hi, Grandpa.”

“Oh, hey, kiddo. I was just leaving a message before I forgot. What are you doing up?” Barry asked.

“You’re on speaker… And Thad and I couldn’t sleep. Thad, say hi to Grandpa,” Bart whispered. 

“Hi, Grandpa Barry,” Thad whispered. 

“I’m glad I’ve got you boys together. I wanted to come by for family week next week,” Barry replied, “If that’s okay… I know you might have plans of your own with—.”

“Grandpa, can you please come for family week?” Bart asked. 

Barry chuckled on the other line. “Sure. Has anyone else called about family week? I haven’t talked to anyone, so I—.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s family week. I wanna see my family. We’ll figure something out if anybody else comes along. I think Jay and Joan are gonna pass on traveling because of Judy… And Jenni had to jump through hoops just to get time off for my party. Is Grandma coming, too?” Bart asked. 

“Grandma should come if something doesn’t come up for work,” Barry replied, “Are you two kids getting along?” 

“Yes sir,” Thad replied. 

“Thad, it’s nice to hear your voice. Do you have my number?” Barry asked. 

“I’ll give it to him,” Bart whispered. 

“Good. Thad, I want you to call me anytime. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got four grandkids. You and Bart, Jenni, and Owen… I love all four of you, and you’re the littlest guy I got. I wanna start spending more time with you,” Barry replied. 

Bart let go of Thad. “Talk to Grandpa for a little bit. I’m gonna get a bite to eat,” Bart half-lied. He left the room to have a quick smoke on the balcony. 

** 

Bart woke up to Thad doing yoga by his closet. “Thad? How long have you been awake?” Bart questioned as he pushed his hair back. 

“An hour. I have first-period P.E. Can you sign off saying I did thirty minutes of yoga?” Thad requested. 

Bart nodded. “Sure,” Bart answered, “Are you alright? I know last night was intense.”

Cissie knocked on the door and Bart let her in. “Good morning,” Cissie smiled. Bart hugged her before glancing at Thad. Thad didn’t move, so Bart took his things to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth. Cissie sat across from Thad, tapping the edges of his yoga mat. “Is he being nice to you?” 

Thad looked at her with wide innocent eyes. “Huh?” Thad questioned. 

“Is Bart being nice to you?” Cissie repeated. 

Thad nodded in child’s pose. “He’s okay… He’s nicer to me than he should be to me. The way we were raised… I would’ve thought—. He could’ve killed me before I got close, but he didn’t. He held back because he wanted to,” Thad answered with complete honesty.

“What do you mean?” Cissie asked. 

“We were raised to be ruthless… Emotionless soldiers. First, they tried to break our minds. Then, they indoctrinated us. Me against my brother. I don’t know what they taught him… He doesn’t talk about it much. I feel like all I do is think about it… Talk about it. I can’t escape it, and he—. He wants to go back there,” Thad whispered. Cissie frowned. “He never told anyone what happened. I don’t think it’s my place to say… But I will say one thing. My brother is hotheaded, impulsive, and… When all else fails, he is merciful. I don’t know what it’s like in his head, but I know there was a moment where he betrayed everything we were ever taught to extend a hand to help… Not hurt. He felt my pain. I’ve never seen anything like that before Bart and Max… And Max… He—. He was the first person to ever tell me I was a good kid. I didn’t know what that meant.” 

Cissie breathed a gentle sigh as she tapped the mat. “Bart loves you so much. He’s never been more worried about anybody,” Cissie whispered, “Conner says Bart dropped everything when you called.” 

“I feel like he doesn’t want me here—.”

“He definitely wants you here… He’s playing it cool. Bart doesn’t deep clean his room for anybody. Not even his boyfriend. Trust me,” Cissie half-joked. Thad’s phone timer went off, and he sat at the edge of his mat close by Cissie. 

“Are you in love with him?” Thad asked. 

“No… I love Bart like a brother. I have a girlfriend,” Cissie replied. She wasn’t defensive or shocked by Thad’s question. She’d been asked that question several times. 

Thad looked at her and nodded. “Are you a lesbian? I’m not asking because you don’t like my brother. I’m just curious,” Thad explained. 

“I am. Why were you curious?” Cissie asked in reply. 

“No one ever says what they mean. There’s a lot of innuendo and—. Hm. Hinting. Why is that? Why not just say that you’re a lesbian?” Thad asked. 

“Sometimes it’s easier to hint around things… Some people get angry or upset when you tell them things without the song and dance,” Cissie replied. 

“I don’t like the song and dance,” Thad whispered. 

“Then, I’ll be straightforward with you from now on,” Cissie smiled, “I like you, Thad. I hope you stay a while.” 

**

Bart smoked before class while Cissie and Thad ate breakfast, and he picked up a smoothie from the cafeteria on the way in. Thad caught on, but he didn’t want to argue about it. Bart’s jaw loosened, and he glanced at Thad. “College… Do you think about going to college?” Bart whispered. 

“Why do you smoke?” Thad asked. Bart’s jaw jutted to the right and then the left as he thought about Thad’s question. “ Do your friends do it? ” 

“No… My friends don’t—. They don’t smoke. It helps me stay calm,” Bart answered. He placed a hand on the back of Thad’s head. “I don’t want you thinking—. I’m not gonna lecture you, but I don’t want you to do this. I want you to cope however you’ve been coping. You’re doing great. You’re leaving the house… Staying with me. Sitting in on college classes.” 

“You smoke to cover something up. I won’t ask. You don’t want me to ask,” Thad whispered. 

“You’re right. Class is about to start… Can we table this for later?” Bart asked. 

Thad nodded while he started on his homework on Bart’s laptop. All the while, Thad quietly listened in on the lecture. Bart wrote near-perfect notes in cursive. He looked away from his notebook every few minutes to check on Thad. 

**

After class, Bart and Thad had frozen yogurt on campus. “Do you go to parties?” Thad asked. Bart pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth to stave off brain freeze. 

“Um… I don’t like to drink a whole lot, so I don't like to party much... I guess I could go to a party and not drink, but—... Do you drink? ” Bart asked. 

“No. Not really,” Thad answered. Bart raised an eyebrow. 

“Not really? So, you’ve tried it,” Bart laughed, “When?” 

“Last year on your birthday. I don’t think you realized you gave me your water bottle. I was curious after the first—. I took a few sips,” Thad recalled. 

“And you fell asleep in the backseat of my car. I remember that. You were drunk?” Bart asked. Thad nodded.

“It didn’t take much… Three or four sips and my head was spinning. I thought I was dying,” Thad replied. Bart chuckled and looked at Thad. Really looked at him.

“You felt guilty about that, huh?" Bart asked. “I’m not mad. Listen, it doesn’t sound like it’ll happen again. It’s funny, though… To think that you were drunk and went to my car to lie down. Poor kid,” Bart laughed. Thad cracked a smile. “How’s your frozen yogurt? What’d you get?” 

“It’s good. I had green apple with mixed fruit on top. What’d you get?” Thad asked. 

“Birthday cake with strawberry sauce and brownie bites. Want a bite?” Bart offered. Thad nodded and they switched yogurts. “What’s the green fruit called again? In English? We didn’t have this in the observatory, huh?” 

“Nuh-uh. It’s kiwi. Do you like it?” Thad questioned. Bart nodded. Thad smiled as he ate Bart’s yogurt. 

Bart hummed. “Kiwi. You want to get kiwi later at the store?” Bart asked. Thad nodded. 

**

Bart went to work while Thad looked around the comic book store for something to read. “You didn’t tell us you had a twin brother,” Bart’s coworker whispered. 

“We’re not twins,” Bart replied. His big amber eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “Why?” 

“I don’t know… He seems refined, sophisticated… Is he—? Is he single?”  she asked. 

“He’s sixteen,” Bart replied, “Why do you think I brought him to work with me? He’s a kid.”

“Yikes. Forget what I said, then,” she replied as she turned her back to the register. “Any other siblings I should know about?”

“I’ve got a little sister in Kansas and an older brother in Manhattan… Sometimes he’s in Kansas, too,” Bart replied. Thad approached the counter. “What’s up?” 

“I’d like to buy this… And I want to know what that game is,” Thad replied as he pointed to the box in the top left corner of the store. 

“Tim knows a lot about that. It’s a roleplaying world-building game. The starter set is closer to the bottom if you want a look at it. There’s a girl who comes in here every week with her two friends, but no one ever sits down to learn. She might be your age. ” Bart replied. 

“She’s his age,” his coworker peeped. 

“Well, there you go. Next time she’s here, I’ll introduce you to her,” Bart offered, “It’ll be good for you to meet people your age… And Cissie’ll be here in an hour to take you home. Did you finish your homework?” Thad nodded. As much as Bart wanted to avoid getting close, he loved being an older brother to Thad. Thad was easy. It brought out a softness in Bart that he didn’t think he had. But the urge was still there. Kill. Kill again. And again. And again. Until they were free. Until they were free.

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Nearly a year and a half ago now, I was able to watch the John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show (terribly clunky title, it acronyms into JONYSUS and that's not much better, really annoying thing to have to look up if you happen to be spending ages trying find download links for it) with the use of a VPN and another person's Paramount Plus login, because I gave up on finding the files anywhere. But since then, every couple or months ago I've tried again to find them, because I fucking hate having things restricted to streaming services. Not just for the anti-corporate reasons or whatever (though those are important, I strongly object to the fact that people pay for media but all they get to do is rent temporary access to it that lasts as long as they keep paying and as long as the company decides to keep the media on its platform, and you have to watch it on their shitty video player that makes you turn off your adblocker and stalls all the time and that can't be enough value for money, even though to be fair I don't personally pay for it, just occasionally use the login of a generous friend for stuff I can't find elsewhere), but because I like being able to watch shows in a way that lets me cut out screenshots and clips so I can save and organize those into my own folders.

This week, I was finally able to find a form of the show that lets me do that. And I'm finally able to say: Remember that time when Andy Zaltzman spent years making fun of John Oliver for occasionally saying “gotten" because he was living in the United States, and then Andy got on American TV one time - they mentioned on The Bugle that this was his American TV debut - and immediately said "sports"? It's adorable, he hits the S just a touch too hard like he's trying to remind himself to say it.

(Annoyingly, Tumblr is still being difficult about letting me embed videos, so I'm just using Google Drive links instead.)

There's nothing in that short set that I haven't heard Andy do in other contexts (except, obviously, when he does that line in Britain he says "I prefer sport", not sports), but it is interesting to me to see which bits he picked out for an American showcase. Presumably his favourite bits, and what he thought was most marketable.

I wrote a post recently in which I wondered what material early OOs- era John Oliver might have picked out for a crowd that might not be in the mood for annoyingly clever and/or political material. Because I've heard most of the bits that John was doing then, spread across various contexts in little pieces, and I think he probably had just about enough to string together a relatively accessible and apolitical set for an audience that wanted it. Andy Zaltzman, however, did not. The range is one difference between Zaltzman and Oliver.

I've watched this whole 26-episode show, it's mainly American comics doing jokes about sex and drugs. And Andy decided the best he could possibly do when trying to fit in there was the child labour material. Never ever change, Andy.

This seems like a worthwhile time to issue a reminder that this isn't the first time I've been able to save and post a bit of that show. A very helpful friend (@lastweeksshirttonight) was able to grab this clip for me when I first watch it, which of course now has a treasured spot in my definitely-non-Beautiful-Mind-like Chocolate Milk Gang folder.

I thought of that clip recently when I heard this on the Elis James and John Robins radio show:

, just because I find it funny that Daniel Kitson has a lot of friends who make jokes about how much he looks like a serial killer, especially for a man who does not look all that much like a serial killer. He just has a beard. John Oliver at least would have been talking about Kitson circa 2006, when he had long-ish hair, and Daniel Kitson was probably at peak serial appearance before he cut his hair off. But still, even then, in the mid-00s when they were writing all those articles about how weird it was that this scary-looking serial killer man wrote such beautiful comedy - he was just a guy with a beard and long-ish hair. Come on, does this guy guy look like he'd hurt anyone?

Anyway, I'd better wrap up; I'm afraid, like a badly managed French restaurant, I'm running out of thyme.

[raghunath-nandyala]

How to Write an Authentic Blog in the Age of AI

Enhancing Creativity and Authenticity in the Digital Era

Summary:

Efficiency Boost with AI Assistance: The author discusses how using ChatGPT has significantly reduced the time it takes to write a blog post, from the initial thought process to final proofreading, enhancing productivity and content creation.

Key Strategies for Authentic Blogging: The post outlines several strategies for maintaining authenticity in blogging, such as sharing personal stories, providing references, emphasizing originality, and avoiding insincerity, to create more engaging and genuine content.

The Permanence of Online Content: The author reflects on the long-term impact of digital footprints, stressing the importance of careful content creation and the challenges involved in managing or correcting past online content.

My thought development time is approximately 5 minutes. It takes me around 30 minutes to write two paragraphs, and self-proofreading can take up to 4 hours. However, if my wife, Prashanthi, helps with proofreading, the process is much quicker. This slow pace often led to internal criticism and a decrease in my writing efficiency. Eventually, my willpower waned, and I stopped writing regularly. As an entrepreneur, writing blogs or microblogs is like leaving a footprint in the spacetime continuum. It shows my followers that "Raghu is alive and well somewhere."

Upon starting to use ChatGPT, I noticed a significant increase in my writing speed; completing a blog now takes between 30 to 60 minutes. This leads me to ponder how to create an authentic blog while utilizing ChatGPT for proofreading.

Narrate Your Own Story: Keeping my own story at the forefront and maintaining a subjective perspective makes the blog more authentic. It allows my audience a glimpse into my life, sharing ideas, and the highs and lows I experience.

Provide References: Incorporating references to books and links helps connect the content to the broader context of the blog. Without these references, the blog might seem detached from human insight, despite being impressively crafted.

Enhance Appeal: Using generative AI for images and summary bullets can make the blog more appealing and presentable to the target audience.

Stay Genuine: Faking content is not a sustainable strategy. Insincerity can erode your authentic character, analogous to a serial killer seeking absolution through superficial means.

Innovate: Introducing new ideas, words, acronyms, and abbreviations can help the audience remember the content when needed.

Infer and Interpret: Drawing inferences is an effective way to engage with the world around you. This process requires creativity and is often fueled by a diverse intake of books and films.

When promoting content, I alternate between slow and fast pacing. This is because the content produced is permanent. Even minor errors or misjudgments can persist indefinitely. In the past, I had to remove many of my old blog posts due to naivety in content selection. Receiving feedback from colleagues on content published years ago was a challenging process. When I search my name online, I find a trail of digital footprints and discussions dating back to 2005. There should be a way to manage or cleanse one's digital history in recommendation systems.

[evaofkonoha]

I feel like I know the answers to a lot of the ask game questions already haha so I'm going with 10, 14, 18 😊

MissOblaine!!!!! I feel like we are slightly indulging each other but I love it! Okay, my responses~

10: Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

Yes, sort of. MLFYWND(NMHMTYTTKM) got a much more positive response than I was anticipating. It's such a strange concept, that I was worried it wouldn't resonate with anyone. But quite a few people took a chance on it and enjoyed it! So that's good!

The other is "The Past Tense." This isn't to call out readers, and I totally get where they are coming from, but I think most people want stories where the couple end up together, no matter what. I have gotten a few comments saying sentiments along the lines of "I wish this had a happy ending/In my mind this has a happy ending where they end up together." Which, everyone can have their own HCs, that doesn't bother me, but like, to me that story does have a happy ending, even if they don't blatantly end up together? (so, spoiler ig). I guess it goes back to the convo of what constitutes a 'happy ending?' and maybe it just looks a little different for everyone! I did go into that story with the prompt of "bittersweet goodbye," so I can easily see how that is interpreted as "sad ending."

14: If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fanfic would you pic?

So, I think the obvious answer here is MLFYWND(NMHMTYTTKM)! I think it would make for a really funny comedy film. I was really inspired by my favorite black comedies when writing it, and there are some really funny, dramatic scenes that I think would translate well.

I have another, different answer though. I think "Violet" would be a really cute webcomic/graphic novel/manga kind of thing. I was inspired by shojou manga greatly when planning it and writing it, and could see it being pretty cute! (now I just have to pull it out of haitus hell, maybe)

18: What's one of your favorite lines you written in a fic?

Oof, toughie (mostly because I hardly remember any lines on their own)! There's a lot of lines in INYT that I really like. That fic lets me write a quippy Shisui who's maybe a smidge overconfident, so I think that lends itself well to having some good lines. Serial killer fic (not doing the acronym again lol) has some really good ones! And I think anything from Stick Season has potential just due to how much of myself I poured into it. I like going back and reading Stick Season, honestly, because reading the descriptions I wrote of the mountains and the details remind me of home <3.

But if I have to pick one for this, I'm going with this one:

“It is hotter than two racoons fucking in a wool sock out here, why in the fuck are we digging ditches and not planting trees, Sasuke?” Naruto asks, leaning on his shovel to take a break from the arduous task of digging in rocky mountain soil.

[misteremberblog]

BTK And Other Infamous Serial Killers: Why Naming These Monsters Gives Them More Power

BTK. The Nightstalker. The Happy Face Killer. These are the names or serial killers whose real names may be forgotten, even as their dark legacies live on.

In the light of the Moscow, Idaho killings and a well-known serial killer, BTK, speaking out on the sympathy that he feels towards the suspected killer, now is an important time to talk about the impact that naming serial killers has.

While Bryan Kohberger was not given the opportunity to become a true serial killer, he shares many similarities and traits with true serial killers such as Dennis Rader, better known as BTK. BTK has even spoken on how he feels sympathetic to how Kohberger must feel in solitary confinement, yet there is a clear difference in how the media has portrayed these individuals. While BTK was allowed to go be a self-given title, Kohberger was never given a title.

This lack in a title may be due to how swiftly Kohberger was caught. In an interview with Aaron Taylor, an individual who lived in Portland, Oregon while the Happy Face Killer was active, he stated, “Maybe these killers are caught sooner so there is not as much time for the media and investigators to characterize the killings with a name.” This could easily be the case. While there is no proof that Kohberger was planning to kill again, if he had, he would have become a textbook serial killer.

But why does the media give these serial killers these names? Why do they use the names the killers want, such as BTK, an acronym for Bind, Torture, Kill? Using these frightening titles makes for better news stories, leading to higher viewer ratings and an increased number of readers. On the flipside, these titles can also lead to increased fear in the public that can sometimes get out of hand.

In an interview with Jared Taylor, a former Washington State University student who attended the university at the same as Kohberger, stated, “These nicknames that are meant to be attention getters end up turning a serious event into a spectacle. Uncovering and arresting a serial killer isn’t an episode of Scooby Doo, its real life, and it affects real people.”

This is something that the media may have thought about when reporting on Kohergers’ arrest. In recent years there has been backlash against media outlets glamorizing serial killers and their crimes. Whether it’s the Netflix drama series Dahmer glamorizing and exaggerating some of Jeffery Dahmer’s actions or their other show Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile casting a more attractive actor such as Zach Efron to play Ted Bundy, these shows both received backlash for their portrayals of serial killers.

Hopefully Kohberger is the beginning of a positive trend, where the news and entertainment industries are respectful of the seriousness and impact that these killers have. Instead of using scary names to spread fear, these industries may begin to focus on simply reporting the facts and portraying events as they happened.

Sources:

Blanco, A., & Hurley, B. (2023, February 2). BTK Killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger. The Independent. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/bryan-kohbergers-idaho-murders-btk-dennis-rader-b2274735.html

Fontaine, K., & Taylor, A. (2023, February 1). Portland During the Happy Face Killer. personal. Fontaine, K., & Taylor, J. (2023, February 2). The Impact of the Media. personal.

[demonir]

Ok lmao I literally watched emesis blue with my mom last night here’s what I did, I originally was just gonna say it in tags but I got a lot to say apparently bc I love to yap

Also I know this post is hours old so I might be late but I still wanna share ✌️

MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD, THEY WILL BE MARKED

Watching the movie doesn’t require in depth knowledge of the source thankfully but some surface knowledge would enhance the experience such as “two ugly old brothers have 2 teams of mercenaries fighting each other in a worthless war in New Mexico in the 1960s, also when they die they come back to life and it’s called respawning in game terms” this all depends on if you’ve already told your dad abt tf2 or not I uhh… had infodumped for 4 hours prior to watching the movie with my mom lmao

Key info that I think should be mentioned: that RED and BLU are acronyms and they will be mentioned in the movie as well (mainly Builders League) - Also that RED and BLU look identical and it’s on purpose, this might be confusing to a bystander - Also explain what the medigun is and the concept of rocket jumping since both are mentioned or at least implied and someone that doesn’t know might not understand shit (mainly the medigun, I feel most people can figure out the rocket jumping part from context alone but the medigun “looks like the ghostbusters thing” according to my 53 year old mother)

I advice mentioning beforehand that the movie is psychological horror and very violent just in case, if your dad is not one for confusing and time bending plots you might have a lot of explaining to do and it’s fine if you say you don’t get it bc truly it’s like that on purpose

This is just a general note that I think is immensely useful and everyone should know: Emesis Blue comes with subtitles in a lot of languages, I watched it with Spanish ones for my mom and they were very well made idk abt the others but I assume they are too. If you don’t need them in another language English is still there as well (and they are very helpful for parts where audio might be hard to understand such as the phone calls)

You might sound annoying but specifying that paying attention to the movie is important is a good thing bc truly I had to go back a few seconds sometimes because my mom missed something and she immediately got confused because missing the plot is THAT easy with this movie

Cool pieces of trivia to mention during the movie or after:

(EMESIS BLUE SPOILERS AND “M” SPOILERS) The tapes Medic has are mostly old real German movies, the movie scout picks up titled “M” is a movie about a child serial killer and the symbolism of the “M” will be prevalent throughout the movie and parallel Medic’s journey as well in fact, the scene at scouts house when he’s watching said move he receives the phone call right when the murderer finds his fist victim and if I remember correctly later on the tv shows the scene where the murderer has been caught and it also directly parallels the scene in emesis blue. ALSO the fact medic gets literally an “M” branded on his face at one point which happens in the German movie to the killer (he gets marked with an M on his back so that they could find him later). Btw the movie “M” is free on YouTube with English subtitles, all of it and contains no gore (it’s a good watch)

The movie is fan made with a free software released by Valve that’s now pretty fucken old, I think emphasizing this can bring into view how cool this is from both an artistic and technical view (while I think that the SFM models are different from the in game models they were still made years ago)

(SPOILER) The burned pyro face we see momentarily in the movie is an actual game asset from another one of valve’s games (I believe half life?) which depicts a burn victim except it’s an ACTUAL REAL burn victim and the texture used came from a real medical book (I loved telling this to my mom bc I saw the disgust in her face lmao)

You can for a fraction of a second see the 2fort cow when Medic is running away from the masked Heavy for the first time, I believe just saying that the cardboard cow is a running gag is enough explanation and it makes it funny (my mom thought it was a real cow and saw no issue with it being there bc it was a “slaughterhouse” after all)

You could mention that the Conagher Slaughterhouse is an actual in game map although edited

(SEMI SPOILER) The engineer(s) have no eyes because their models simply were not made with the idea to take off the goggles ever, this is being used for added horror factor

(SPOILERS) The movie has lots of references to other movies and pieces of media but I genuinely don’t remember the names right now, most specific thing I remember is soldier’s attempt to cross a broken bridge but falling being a possible parallel to a story of a man trying to escape hell and go to heaven but directly falling into the deepest layers of hell instead (I’d really appreciate if someone remembers the actual references and could list them, if not I might go look them up again and reblog again with the list) (EVEN BIGGER SPOILERS) also the fact we never truly find out the contents of the briefcase is a reference to another famous movie with almost the same plot line

That’s all for trivia I can remember rn, I asked my mom what she’d like to say/recommend about the movie for another parent to watch and here’s what she had to say:

Talk about it like you would any movie, explain the overall plot or a bit of it to catch attention and raise interest

It’s a really good movie that makes you think a lot and has an interesting plot that holds well even if you’re not into the source it comes from

Do not mention the fact that it’s gonna leave you with more questions than answers

Besides this she agreed with what I said before so 👍

That’s all from me hope it helps you or anyone else or just gives you some funny trivia idk also if anyone knows more or better or saw that I got smth wrong feel free to let me know, I watched the movie again last night but a lot of the trivia I knew from months ago so I might be remembering it wrong (I tend to do that)

Have fun 👍

Okay y'all, tomorrow I'm going to be forcing my dad to watch Emesis Blue. Any advice you have for him that you want me to tell him? Or context or anything like that because I suck at giving advise and context

[loveracoustic]

i just saw skn mentioned in a quiz and sheesh i miss doing those

[raymondebidochonlifechoices]

To summarise:

6x3 aka Just for the Devil of It!

Brace yourselves, because this recap is going to be insufferable [spelled: *incypherable*; pronunciation tip: use Sam’s Brooklyn accent).

Mr L. strolls into town hell-bent to collect Abigail’s cursed souls and then some.

Pop gives away food for free, and -bam!- in comes Lucifer with a bonus heart attack. Is Capitalism the Devil? If this is symbolism, then I want more!

FBI agent Glen Scot calls FBI agent Betty Cooper, who’s appropriately dressed in her FBI t-shirt, because this is about FBI business.

Betty needs to wring a confession out of TBK (The Trash Bag Killer, Glen helpfully reminds the audience, in case we’ve forgotten what the acronym stands for after all this time) because they can’t link him to any of the murders. Which, in turn, begs the question of how they got him in custody in the first place.

Dark Betty should have been living her best life in Rivervale. Instead, she’s having a(nother) moral crisis.

A serial killer who tortures and dismembers young women (and children?) tells Betty she is evil. I’m shooketh. By the fact that Betty takes this at heart. She takes a cleansing shower in atmospheric blue light.

Alice who had helped sacrifice Archie only 2 episodes ago believes a casino will damn the town. This is interesting considering neither serial killer ex-husband Hal nor serial killer son Charles have ever set foot in one. I guess not everything is in continuity in Rivervale. Cheryl-authorised ritualistic killings only?

While Veronica is bullshitting the og bullshitter (Alice) about her casino, Reggie makes sure the viewers know how illegal everything is in there.

This is an American show, therefore the Devil has a British accent.

He attempts to blackmail Tabitha for Pop’s soul, who’d given it away in exchange for his pop’s soul. Apparently, Tate Sr had sold it in order to ensure the Diner’s success. As the Diner has been struggling, I fail to see how the Devil’s in position to make any propositions. As the original deal ensures the success of “[Tabitha’s] family Diner”, one could argue that the wording implies an obligation to keep the Diner in her family. What in the Devil, writing team?

“Think it over and let me know” says the Devil and hands Tabitha his visiting card, which has no telephone number on it. There’s an address though: Hell is apparently in USA. (But not in Rivervale).

Guess who’s back? Back again? Typewriter’s back! Tell a friend!

“What does the Devil want with a Chock’lit Shoppe?” Jughead, asking the important questions.

It’s the “soft opening” for Babylonium(?) casino. Kevin who did tickle porn for extra cash he didn’t need back in High School, knows a bad deal when he sees one and immediately shakes hands with the Devil in exchange for success, which this show canonically denies him.

Queue musical number.

“I'm wild again, beguiled again / A simpering, whimpering child again / Bewitched, bothered and bewildereddeviled- am I”, sings Kevin. Or he would have, if the writers had a sense of humour.

I don’t believe I’m saying this but … it turns out that Alice was right about this casino breading evil-doing. Yikes!

Veronica explains Lu Cypher’s name, so that all the viewers are aware of the gloriousness that is the Riverdale writers’ room.

The only people on Mr Lu’s list are Archie’s friends. This is highly suspicious. Is it because they’re the show’s main characters or is the Ginger Judas involved in this?

Lu and Ronnie have a chat with fire breathers at the background. Hello, symbolism, my old friend.

It’s a devil of a job but Jughead manages to track down Lucypher and have a talk with him at RHS. He calls it An Interview with the Devil, so that the viewers know that the opportunity for a cult pop reference was not lost on the writers.

The Devil will reveal all the universe’s mysteries to him and Jughead will have to choose between getting fame and glory and never writing again OR creatively scribbling away in obscurity for the rest of his days.

Jughead who’s spent his youth reading Moby Dick and the Beat Generation, but apparently has never heard of Goethe’s Faust, falls for the trap and immediately regrets it. He signs his soul to the Devil in exchange for getting his creative juices all over Betty’s gift.

(Too much?)

Remember how Veronica had fake-flirted with Nick St. Clair back in 2x19, before she’d given him a taste of his own medicine and got $1 million as ransom for his sorry ass in the process? Well, Nick doesn’t and neither do the writers. He falls again for the same trick and signs his soul to the Devil, which seems somewhat redundant, as most viewers had assumed he’d already done that as a teenager.

Reggie gets scorned by Satan, in case we’ve forgotten he’s not as good as Archie. It turns out the Devil was not after his soul after all. Reggie claims to have helped Lu trap Veronica’s soul because he knew she’d find a way out. I guess he just forgot to tell her all about it till now.

Apparently, the She-Wolf of Wall Street had been signing documents without reading them first. This would have never happened if Hiram were still in town. Just saying.

You know it’s Hell, when there’s not one but two musical numbers.

Lu proposes to take Alice’s soul in exchange for Veronica’s. Veronica has cold feet.

You had one job, Ronnie! One! Job!

She eventually saves herself by offering other people’s souls: one each week for the rest of her life. Endgame lover Reggie goes first. You know, the one soul Lu didn’t want in the first place? Peak Riverdale writing.

TBK turns out to be the Devil in disguise. Literally. In a town full of serial killers and Riverparents (usually one and the same), he calls Betty the Mother of all Evil aka The Whore of Babylon. This is the second time Babylon is referenced, because the writers are like a dog with a bone, when they think they’ve got a good idea.

Glen-no-wedding-rings-detected-in-s5-Scot magically acquires a wife. Betty does her a solid one by offing him for her.

To be fair, she was tricked by the Devil. No contracts for Betty, only self-reflection on a rocking chair.

Remember how s6a was supposed to be a battle between good and evil? No? Well, Riverdale just did! Relax, it hasn’t happened yet. It was just mentioned. THREE times. To make up for the previous 2 episodes.

Archangel Raphael appears to help Tabitha and reward the Tates for all the good they’ve been doing with the Diner. Is this a good time to mention, that -as per this episode’s canon- said good Diner has also been under the Devil’s contract all this time? There’s some kind of contradiction here but who cares?

Pop is alive and well! For one hot minute I thought he’d die and we’d see him in 6x4 all taped up à la Underwood.

Anyway. The Devil produces a contract for Tabitha. Pop signs it instead … because … reasons? They all celebrate with Pop’s famous milkshakes, spiced with the Virgin’s tears (no joking), which enable the Tates to kick Lu out of the Diner. Is there anything Pop’s milkshakes can’t do?

Toffee took her winnings from the previous episode’s bets and went to Veronica’s casino. She would have stayed longer but the untrustworthy albeit hot British gentleman at table 13 made her fur crawl and then Kevin started singing. She invested her money on premium solid wild tuna and a gold-plated can opener. You can never go wrong with canned goods when there’s a battle brewing.

Next episode is all about the character the writers didn’t have time to mention in 6x3.

[horror-aesthete]

Ohhh boy. Ok

So, DUD is an acronym for the 2008 novel Dracula, The UnDead, which me and my best friend @thestereotypebuster have been using for many years. We talk about this book a lot. Too much, probably.

Dracula, The UnDead is an extremely pulpy pseudo-sequel to the original Dracula, written by Bram Stoker's great great nephew, Dacre Stoker. Well, I say written, but we know from a lawsuit that multiple ghost writers were involved at various points in the process, something you could've probably guessed from how disjointed the end product is. Also, the fact that until just a few months before DUD was published, Dacre Stoker was still working as a gym teacher in Canada.

The book follows the exploits of Jonathan and Mina Harker's totally-not-gay son, Quincey, in his attempts to 1.) pursue an acting career that will pay him an actual living wage, 2.) murder an evil lesbian vampire, and 3.) try really hard to not fuck an older male actor who DEFINITELY isn’t Dracula is a dollar store mustache, we promise guys. There are also subplots about an elderly detective trying to catch Jack the Ripper, Jack Seward being a heroine addict, the now-middle aged Harkers failing marriage, and actual real life human Bram Stoker. Someone almost gets their penis bitten off by a vampire. This book is dumb as hell.

And on top of being insane, DUD is also like, weirdly bigoted? For a book that came out in 2008? Not that 2008 was a bastion of progressiveness, but there are parts of this book that feel more sexist than the original Dracula. And like, I'm a lesbian who studies horror and exploitation films, I have a very high tolerance for sexism in media. But this is a book that seems to just straight up hate women, and lesbians in particular.

While most of the male characters actions go largely unexamined, any time a woman so much as says something in a kind of rude tone, D Stokes and co will devote MULTIPLE pages deconstructing it. They also do that Stephanie Myer thing where every woman (and in particular, her tits) are described in lurid detail and all the dudes are like "he had brown hair".

Also, as you could probably guess from the evil lesbian vampire, it's wildly homophobic. Though, I will give it credit for being homophobic in two different ways- main character Quincey is so intensely gay coded it feels like you're being beaten over the head with it, and yet the book seems to intentionally ignore the obvious. Meanwhile, lesbian vampire Erzebet Bathory (yes, the historical serial killer) is "turned gay" through trauma and wants to kill all men, but especially God himself! Go off, queen.

And on top of all this insanity, you have the fact that it's just... really obviously based on the Francis Ford Coppola movie adaptation. Like, D Stokes and Ian Holt (the only other writer officially credited), are clearly far more familiar with that than the original novel. Everything from the tone, to the character descriptions (seriously, Mina in this book is JUST Winona Rider), to massive aspects of the plot are ripped from that film. Even the title is a reference to it.

So yea, in summation: Dracula the UnDead- terrible novel, hilarious read. Defiantly a so bad its good book. If you don't want to read it in full yourself I did a live read of it on my main blog a few years ago.

Frankenstein Unbound, 1990, dir. Roger Corman

[bluejaysandblackbats]

It Takes A Village

Fandom: YJ98, Flashfam, DC Comics

Summary: After witnessing Bart murder someone, his friends scramble to cover Bart's tracks and stumble upon an international scandal as a result.

(Minor background: Bart took a gap year, and Conner did two years of community college. This starts shortly after Bart's 19th birthday. So, Conner and Jenni are 20, Bart and Cissie are 19, Tim and Cassie are 18, I made Greta 17 for the sake of the fic, and Judy is 15. I decided to make Owen 22 and Thad 16 for plot reasons. Clark and Conner are brothers in this fic, and Clark is 12 years older for the sake of this fic, so he's 32.)

Chapters: 12/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Judy Garrick, Jay Garrick, Joan Garrick, Cissie King-Jones, Cassie Sandsmark, Tim Drake, Greta Hayes, Jenni Ognats, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Meloni Thawne, Clark Kent, Wally West, Linda Park, Courtney Whitmore, President Thawne

Relationship(s): KonBart, CissieCassie, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Serial Killer AU, No Powers AU, Angst, Dark Comedy, Bart Allen Kills in This Fic, Minor Thad Thawne, Separated in Childhood, Some Smut in This

Chapter Twelve: Little

Bart sat in the airport, waiting for Thad’s arrival. He was an hour early, sitting on his hands to stop them from shaking as he scanned the airport terminal. Three. He counted three people from Interlac. Two women and a man. He could tell by the way they carried themselves. The first woman stood near baggage claim, standing uncomfortably close to another woman, but not touching or interacting with her in any way. And her gestures were different. She brushed her forehead with two fingers to thank the man who helped her with her bags. The first woman was harmless, possibly a woman seeking asylum in the United States like Bart’s family. The second woman wore sunglasses while eating a snack he’d only seen back home. She carried a suitcase with a logo on it. Something using Interlac lettering. He remembered it from the observatory, but he never learned what the acronym stood for. She was either a doctor or a lawyer for the observatory. And from the lack of scarring on her face and arms, Bart assumed she was a lawyer. Then, the final person. The man. He stood at six feet, wearing a style of clothing that would’ve only been popular when he lived in Interlac. The man’s clothes were dated, but he had a darkened way about him. It took Bart a few minutes of staring before he recognized the man. He only caught a glimpse of him in the dark, but he could never forget his eyes. Downturned and cold like he had no soul at all. The last time he saw that man, he had a gun. Bart remembered hearing someone shout at the man, telling him to leave Bart alive, but his name wasn’t used. They used his test number… A-04. Bart didn’t understand it then, but he was always frightened by the man’s cold eyes. 

Why was he there? Bart swallowed hard, wanting to turn tail and run, but he couldn’t leave. Not without Thad. He knew his brother would panic as soon as he noticed the people there. Toward the end of Thad’s stay in the observatory, he was allowed to venture out of his controlled room, so he had more knowledge and context about their old home than Bart did. Bart was sure Thad would recognize the man. So, he had to find a way to block them from seeing each other. He had to control the environment. 

Thirty minutes passed and the first and second woman boarded a flight, but the man was still there. Bart pulled the brim of his bucket hat further down as he watched the man. He allowed another fifteen minutes to pass before he got up and spoke to someone, accusing the man of suspicious behavior. The woman nodded, and within three minutes, they pulled the man aside. They kept him preoccupied until Thad arrived. Bart quickly grabbed Thad’s bag, and he escorted his brother to the car. Once Bart got Thad into the car, he embraced him. “ How was your flight? ” Bart questioned in Interlac as he backed out of the lot. 

“Why are you in a hurry?” Thad asked in reply. Bart’s jaw tightened as he reached over and touched Thad’s forehead, parting his bangs where a cut healed. 

“I’m hungry… Who hit you? And don’t tell me you fell,” Bart asked. 

“I don’t know. Someone threw something when I was sitting outside, but they drove off before I could see,” Thad answered, “Are you angry at me?”

“I’m not mad at you… I’m happy you’re here. Listen, I took the day off, but I have a class in three hours. I promised Max that I’d look after you, so you’re coming with me,” Bart explained, “What do you feel like eating before class?” 

“Chicken salad,” Thad whispered. Bart fought the urge to suggest something else. 

“Okay. Chicken salad it is. Do you want a milkshake?” Bart asked. 

“Isn’t that a lot of sugar?” Thad replied. 

Bart sighed. “You’re staying with me, so the rules are different. There’s nothing wrong with a little something sweet every now and then,” Bart explained. 

**

“Thad, this is my roommate and one of my best friends, Cissie. Cissie, this is my little brother, Thad,” Bart introduced as Cissie came in from her morning class. Thad shook her hand.

Cissie leaned in, looking at Thad’s face. “You two could be twins… Man,” Cissie whispered. Thad and Bart exchanged glances. 

“I don’t see it,” they replied at the same time. Cissie chuckled. 

“Cute. Make yourself at home, Thad. We’re glad to have you here,” Cissie smiled as she washed her hands and reached into the fridge. 

Cissie took her juice to her room, leaving Thad and Bart alone again. Bart kissed the top of Thad’s head. “Your head smells weird,” Bart lied. 

Thad turned to him, half-scowling as he replied, “It’s called shampoo, Bart. You should try it.” 

Bart chuckled. “Did you get enough to eat?” Bart questioned. Thad nodded. 

“Did you do it?” Thad asked. 

“No,” Bart lied. He didn’t have to ask. He knew what Thad meant. He didn’t want his brothers mixed up in his mess. The urge to kill had him by the throat, and he was escalating. He wouldn’t drag his brothers down with him. “Why were you upset about Donnovan?” 

“I wasn’t upset that he was gone… I was shocked and scared about everything that would come from this. But I’m happy he’s gone. I was too scared to say that on Saturday when we talked,” Thad answered. 

Bart sat next to Thad at the counter. “What did he do to you?” Bart asked. 

“He told me I was expendable… And he told me I’d be killed if I wasn’t useful enough,” Thad whispered, “Bart, I never wanted to be a killer.” 

Bart took Thad by the shoulders and stared at him, his eyes were wild and severe, passionate and frightening. “You are a good person. You’re no killer. You are gentle, and I will make it up to you. I will do my best to make up for the pain they caused you. I know I can’t make it go away, but I can protect you from future harm. Come here,” Bart replied. 

Thad blinked hard, hesitating as he stood up to face Bart. Bart pulled him into a hug. Thad tensed before wrapping his arms around Bart. Thad reminded Bart of how small he used to be. He tightened his embrace and paused a moment before letting go. “Do you want me here?” Thad questioned.

“I do. I want you here. I want you around… And I’m happy to see you,” Bart replied as he pinched his brother’s cheek to get on his nerves. 

“Cut it out,” Thad whined as he swatted Bart’s hand away. His watch beeped. 

“Are you still using the CRAYDL system to—?” 

“And how do you cope? You smoke weed until it comes out of your ears… Right?” Thad snapped. Bart blinked hard. 

Bart knew he hit a sore spot with his brother, but he didn’t know how to fix it. Sometimes, he wished he knew what to say. “You’re right. It’s not any better,” Bart replied. 

Thad looked around the apartment. “Are you really gonna let me sleep in your room?” Thad questioned. 

“I cleaned my room. I promise,” Bart answered, “You’re bottom bunk.”

**

Bart woke Thad out of a nightmare by climbing into his bed. “Hey… Shhh… Shhh. You’re okay,” Bart whispered. Thad shot up, panting and shaking. “You’re alright. I’ve got you.”

Thad held Bart’s arm with tears in his eyes. “I wish I’d done it,” Thad whimpered. 

“Done what?” Bart smiled innocently as he pressed his forehead to Thad’s cheek. “Huh?”

“I wished I killed him myself… I wonder what it felt like. I wonder if he suffered,” Thad whispered. Bart softened. 

“That’s not you talking. You’re better than that. You’re a good kid. A sweet kid,” Bart replied. “You didn’t have it in you to hurt me when you met me… And you were raised to kill me. Look at us now. We’re brothers… And I love you. I love you so much.”

“There was one night where I got into the house… One night when you were fast asleep, and I could’ve—. I was so close. I could’ve done it, but I—.” 

“You aren’t a killer. You’re not even violent… And I’m sorry for how things went down when they did. I didn’t know you then,” Bart apologized. 

Thad took a few deep breaths and Bart hooked his arm closer to Thad, pulling him in closer. “Just breathe… I’m not going anywhere,” Bart whispered. Thad choked through sobs, and Bart shushed him. “I know… I know, Thad. They gave you to me. Someone I can understand… And you’re here. And you’re mine. My baby brother.” 

Bart’s phone vibrated, and Thad reached for it. “It’s Grandpa Barry,” Thad mumbled. 

“Want me to answer it?” Bart asked. Thad nodded. Bart took a breath and answered the phone. “Hi, Grandpa.”

“Oh, hey, kiddo. I was just leaving a message before I forgot. What are you doing up?” Barry asked.

“You’re on speaker… And Thad and I couldn’t sleep. Thad, say hi to Grandpa,” Bart whispered. 

“Hi, Grandpa Barry,” Thad whispered. 

“I’m glad I’ve got you boys together. I wanted to come by for family week next week,” Barry replied, “If that’s okay… I know you might have plans of your own with—.”

“Grandpa, can you please come for family week?” Bart asked. 

Barry chuckled on the other line. “Sure. Has anyone else called about family week? I haven’t talked to anyone, so I—.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s family week. I wanna see my family. We’ll figure something out if anybody else comes along. I think Jay and Joan are gonna pass on traveling because of Judy… And Jenni had to jump through hoops just to get time off for my party. Is Grandma coming, too?” Bart asked. 

“Grandma should come if something doesn’t come up for work,” Barry replied, “Are you two kids getting along?” 

“Yes sir,” Thad replied. 

“Thad, it’s nice to hear your voice. Do you have my number?” Barry asked. 

“I’ll give it to him,” Bart whispered. 

“Good. Thad, I want you to call me anytime. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got four grandkids. You and Bart, Jenni, and Owen… I love all four of you, and you’re the littlest guy I got. I wanna start spending more time with you,” Barry replied. 

Bart let go of Thad. “Talk to Grandpa for a little bit. I’m gonna get a bite to eat,” Bart half-lied. He left the room to have a quick smoke on the balcony. 

** 

Bart woke up to Thad doing yoga by his closet. “Thad? How long have you been awake?” Bart questioned as he pushed his hair back. 

“An hour. I have first-period P.E. Can you sign off saying I did thirty minutes of yoga?” Thad requested. 

Bart nodded. “Sure,” Bart answered, “Are you alright? I know last night was intense.”

Cissie knocked on the door and Bart let her in. “Good morning,” Cissie smiled. Bart hugged her before glancing at Thad. Thad didn’t move, so Bart took his things to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth. Cissie sat across from Thad, tapping the edges of his yoga mat. “Is he being nice to you?” 

Thad looked at her with wide innocent eyes. “Huh?” Thad questioned. 

“Is Bart being nice to you?” Cissie repeated. 

Thad nodded in child’s pose. “He’s okay… He’s nicer to me than he should be to me. The way we were raised… I would’ve thought—. He could’ve killed me before I got close, but he didn’t. He held back because he wanted to,” Thad answered with complete honesty.

“What do you mean?” Cissie asked. 

“We were raised to be ruthless… Emotionless soldiers. First, they tried to break our minds. Then, they indoctrinated us. Me against my brother. I don’t know what they taught him… He doesn’t talk about it much. I feel like all I do is think about it… Talk about it. I can’t escape it, and he—. He wants to go back there,” Thad whispered. Cissie frowned. “He never told anyone what happened. I don’t think it’s my place to say… But I will say one thing. My brother is hotheaded, impulsive, and… When all else fails, he is merciful. I don’t know what it’s like in his head, but I know there was a moment where he betrayed everything we were ever taught to extend a hand to help… Not hurt. He felt my pain. I’ve never seen anything like that before Bart and Max… And Max… He—. He was the first person to ever tell me I was a good kid. I didn’t know what that meant.” 

Cissie breathed a gentle sigh as she tapped the mat. “Bart loves you so much. He’s never been more worried about anybody,” Cissie whispered, “Conner says Bart dropped everything when you called.” 

“I feel like he doesn’t want me here—.”

“He definitely wants you here… He’s playing it cool. Bart doesn’t deep clean his room for anybody. Not even his boyfriend. Trust me,” Cissie half-joked. Thad’s phone timer went off, and he sat at the edge of his mat close by Cissie. 

“Are you in love with him?” Thad asked. 

“No… I love Bart like a brother. I have a girlfriend,” Cissie replied. She wasn’t defensive or shocked by Thad’s question. She’d been asked that question several times. 

Thad looked at her and nodded. “Are you a lesbian? I’m not asking because you don’t like my brother. I’m just curious,” Thad explained. 

“I am. Why were you curious?” Cissie asked in reply. 

“No one ever says what they mean. There’s a lot of innuendo and—. Hm. Hinting. Why is that? Why not just say that you’re a lesbian?” Thad asked. 

“Sometimes it’s easier to hint around things… Some people get angry or upset when you tell them things without the song and dance,” Cissie replied. 

“I don’t like the song and dance,” Thad whispered. 

“Then, I’ll be straightforward with you from now on,” Cissie smiled, “I like you, Thad. I hope you stay a while.” 

**

Bart smoked before class while Cissie and Thad ate breakfast, and he picked up a smoothie from the cafeteria on the way in. Thad caught on, but he didn’t want to argue about it. Bart’s jaw loosened, and he glanced at Thad. “College… Do you think about going to college?” Bart whispered. 

“Why do you smoke?” Thad asked. Bart’s jaw jutted to the right and then the left as he thought about Thad’s question. “ Do your friends do it? ” 

“No… My friends don’t—. They don’t smoke. It helps me stay calm,” Bart answered. He placed a hand on the back of Thad’s head. “I don’t want you thinking—. I’m not gonna lecture you, but I don’t want you to do this. I want you to cope however you’ve been coping. You’re doing great. You’re leaving the house… Staying with me. Sitting in on college classes.” 

“You smoke to cover something up. I won’t ask. You don’t want me to ask,” Thad whispered. 

“You’re right. Class is about to start… Can we table this for later?” Bart asked. 

Thad nodded while he started on his homework on Bart’s laptop. All the while, Thad quietly listened in on the lecture. Bart wrote near-perfect notes in cursive. He looked away from his notebook every few minutes to check on Thad. 

**

After class, Bart and Thad had frozen yogurt on campus. “Do you go to parties?” Thad asked. Bart pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth to stave off brain freeze. 

“Um… I don’t like to drink a whole lot, so I don't like to party much... I guess I could go to a party and not drink, but—... Do you drink? ” Bart asked. 

“No. Not really,” Thad answered. Bart raised an eyebrow. 

“Not really? So, you’ve tried it,” Bart laughed, “When?” 

“Last year on your birthday. I don’t think you realized you gave me your water bottle. I was curious after the first—. I took a few sips,” Thad recalled. 

“And you fell asleep in the backseat of my car. I remember that. You were drunk?” Bart asked. Thad nodded.

“It didn’t take much… Three or four sips and my head was spinning. I thought I was dying,” Thad replied. Bart chuckled and looked at Thad. Really looked at him.

“You felt guilty about that, huh?" Bart asked. “I’m not mad. Listen, it doesn’t sound like it’ll happen again. It’s funny, though… To think that you were drunk and went to my car to lie down. Poor kid,” Bart laughed. Thad cracked a smile. “How’s your frozen yogurt? What’d you get?” 

“It’s good. I had green apple with mixed fruit on top. What’d you get?” Thad asked. 

“Birthday cake with strawberry sauce and brownie bites. Want a bite?” Bart offered. Thad nodded and they switched yogurts. “What’s the green fruit called again? In English? We didn’t have this in the observatory, huh?” 

“Nuh-uh. It’s kiwi. Do you like it?” Thad questioned. Bart nodded. Thad smiled as he ate Bart’s yogurt. 

Bart hummed. “Kiwi. You want to get kiwi later at the store?” Bart asked. Thad nodded. 

**

Bart went to work while Thad looked around the comic book store for something to read. “You didn’t tell us you had a twin brother,” Bart’s coworker whispered. 

“We’re not twins,” Bart replied. His big amber eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “Why?” 

“I don’t know… He seems refined, sophisticated… Is he—? Is he single?”  she asked. 

“He’s sixteen,” Bart replied, “Why do you think I brought him to work with me? He’s a kid.”

“Yikes. Forget what I said, then,” she replied as she turned her back to the register. “Any other siblings I should know about?”

“I’ve got a little sister in Kansas and an older brother in Manhattan… Sometimes he’s in Kansas, too,” Bart replied. Thad approached the counter. “What’s up?” 

“I’d like to buy this… And I want to know what that game is,” Thad replied as he pointed to the box in the top left corner of the store. 

“Tim knows a lot about that. It’s a roleplaying world-building game. The starter set is closer to the bottom if you want a look at it. There’s a girl who comes in here every week with her two friends, but no one ever sits down to learn. She might be your age. ” Bart replied. 

“She’s his age,” his coworker peeped. 

“Well, there you go. Next time she’s here, I’ll introduce you to her,” Bart offered, “It’ll be good for you to meet people your age… And Cissie’ll be here in an hour to take you home. Did you finish your homework?” Thad nodded. As much as Bart wanted to avoid getting close, he loved being an older brother to Thad. Thad was easy. It brought out a softness in Bart that he didn’t think he had. But the urge was still there. Kill. Kill again. And again. And again. Until they were free. Until they were free.

[teafiend]

I really needed a space to simp and fangirl over Kim Jae Uck’s performance as Mo Tae Gu. His memorable and beyond magnificent portrayal was the sexiest ever. ❤️‍🔥🥵🤤 He truly did put the sex in the sexy. (“Sexy trash” was the South Korean nickname for MTG 😆 and the acronym for both words in Korean ended up being sex).

No matter how often I cringed, totally creeped out by and recoiled from Mo Tae Gu as a character, I truly don’t get tired of the way KJU slithered across the screen in all his stylish and elegant glory. He was a complete visual feast, and backed up with stunning, brilliant performances, unforgettable.

The suits, the strut. The creepiness. Each flick of the eyes, the slow deliberate smirks, detailed gestures of him adjusting his tie, buttoning his jacket etc all added up to the effect. And the lighting were all executed so beautifully.

I don’t even feel guilty admitting that his unhinged desperation by the end looked so stunningly gorgeous (amazing performance there 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️‍🔥🥵) it gave me more than terrified shivers. (From the complete safety of being on the other side of a screen).

The director and camera crew really knew how to capture all that deliciousness for the imagination on screen.

And all those hints of an obsession with Kang Kwon Joo. They truly don’t get more suggestive than that. (My shipper heart just could not help sliding this part in, sorry).

Though the toll the character took on KJU was also quite apparent. To have to inhabit the mindset of a literally unhinged serial murderer must be draining and harrowing.

Undoubtedly, while actor-KJU could portray any kind of role as evidenced by his filmography, it could also not be denied that he brought a certain quality to his darker roles which elevated the characters, i.e., Mo Tae Gu and Choi Yoon.

I also get why he often distanced himself from MTG as a character in interviews. No matter how sexy and iconic MTG as a character might be, anyone sane and halfway decent would not want to be associated with someone of that caliber. (That role was so impactful it was still brought up at times years later).

It was clear MTG was written based on a composite of real life serial killers, and in that regard, competent writing. As a character, however, I thought MTG was memorable mainly due to KJU’s portrayal and performance, and only to a much lesser extent, the writing. KJU brought MTG to life with his acting and charisma, and not really the other way around.

As it was, MTG as a character seemed too much a caricature of a serial killer-cum-mafia, what with the vainglorious style and strut. KJU made MTG elegant and drool-worthy, but when I peeled back the murderous elements, MTG was just a poor, traumatized boy who turned into a stupid, violent and foolish man, enabled by another psychopath (if more “well-adjusted”), his father. (Okay, my own prejudices speaking… but well…)

Truly, I was unimpressed by MTG as a character. If he was not performed to perfection by KJU, he would simply be a tedious, pathetic, little man. A true “loser”. I normally have issues with the degrading label “loser”, but I thought it fit MTG because by all intents and purposes - on the surface - he was a man who had it all. And used it only to gratify his own twisted and deranged impulses. So, fiction or otherwise, yucks 🤢🤮 (it would be nice if people like MTG are completely fictional, alas, they are not, although this particular iteration portrayed by KJU was).

Well, unless one thinks real life serial killers are cool, there was nothing truly remarkable about MTG as a character; simply a narcissistic, murderously violent sociopath/psychopath (with wealth and privilege for protection). A man literally a lunatic. They needed to be helped with their mental illness/issues and treated with compassion, sure, as even the show generously alluded to in MTG’s case. (But they should still be isolated away from the rest of society, for the protection of others, until and unless they can really be well enough).

Serial killers like MTG exists (mostly minus the ultra-wealth and style, but that is another story) in real life, and it is a disservice to the devastation and traumas they incurred to unnecessarily glamourise them. (In which certain sub-niches of society already do 😔😱🥶).

P.S. It is a weird situation I found myself in with MTG because much as I disliked his character, his portrayal by KJU was beyond haunting and indelible. Hence, I spent precious time writing this rant 🙄😂🤣 (It would be interesting to look back on this period and note the level of my fixation on a character I don’t even like all that much, except for the fact of my own personal obsession with KJU as his performer).

And my heart cannot help but want to ship him with KKJ. (Sorry, my awesome KKJ. You deserved everything good and wonderful, and I…🤭🤫😬)

[femalechibiblogger]

My Top 10 Underrated Anime Series

1. Welcome to the NHK

Plot: The main protagonist is Tatsuhiro Satō, a university dropout entering his fourth year of unemployment. He leads a reclusive life as a hikikomori, ultimately coming to the conclusion that this happened due to some sort of conspiracy. One day just when his life seems entirely unchanging, he meets Misaki Nakahara, a mysterious girl who claims to be able to cure Tatsuhiro of his hikikomori ways. She presents him with a contract basically outlining that once a day they would meet in the evening in a local park where Misaki would lecture to Tatsuhiro in an effort to rid him of his lifestyle. During these outings, many subjects are discussed, though they almost always pertain in some way to psychology or psychoanalysis. One of their first meetings in fact deals with interpreting Tatsuhiro's recent dreams. Both Tatsuhiro and Misaki, however, have a tendency of over-doing things, such as hiding the truth, especially from each other and themselves. Despite Misaki's offer and pressing attempts at salvation, it is Tatsuhiro's neighbor and high school friend, Kaoru Yamazaki, whom Tatsuhiro often turns to in moments of need and support. Despite his own idiosyncrasies, Yamazaki is one of the more stable characters in the story.

While many may not know about this series, those who do know of its existence can see it’s appeal. This anime shows that some people, like the main character, are shut-in’s due to social anxiety holding them back from living a regular life. The anime deals with subjects such as social anxiety, hiding depression from loved ones, paranoia, and a crippling fear of never being accepted by the outside world. 

Throughout the series, Sato tries to go outside more often and is pushed to do this by a high school girl, Misaki, and his old classmate now neighbor, Kaoru. All the while, Sato meets some people from his past who cause him to go down a different path, such as becoming part of a ponzi scheme or joining a suicide group, because they themselves have problems that he unknowingly becomes a part of. This goes to show that if you have struggles with batting depression or have family problems...seek proper help before bringing others down with you.

2. Tiger & Bunny

Plot: The series takes place in "NC 1978" in a fictional, re-imagined version of New York City called Stern Bild City, where 45 years before, superpowered individuals known as "NEXT" (an acronym standing for Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents) started appearing and some of them became superheroes. Each of the city's most famous superheroes work for a sponsor company and their uniforms also contain advertising for real-life companies. Their heroic activity is broadcast on the popular television show "Hero TV", where they accumulate points for each heroic feat accomplished (arresting criminals or saving civilians, for example) and the best ranked hero of the season is crowned "King of Heroes". The story mainly focuses on veteran hero Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.a. Wild Tiger, who is assigned a new partner: a young man named Barnaby Brooks, Jr. However, Barnaby and Kotetsu have trouble working together, as they have conflicting opinions on how a superhero should act, while at the same time they are trying to crack the mystery of the murder of Barnaby's parents. In addition, the appearance of a homicidal vigilante NEXT named "Lunatic" stirs up the public and makes them question the place of heroes in the city. 

The main heroes, Kotetsu and Barnaby, do not like each other at first...but a strong bond grows between them as they protect the city and help each other from the tragic moments of their pasts. They even help each other with the problems that they face within the series’ current timeline: Kotetsu slowly losing his powers, and Barnaby being manipulated by someone who he thought of like family. 

While not as big as My Hero Academia, this series still has lots of good moments, terrific super heroes, and powerful storylines. Tiger & Bunny is definitely worth watching for anyone who loves superheroes and anime.

3. My Roommate Is A Cat

Plot: Novelist Subaru Mikazuki, who is shy and not good with other people, and Haru, the cat that has been living a severe stray life. This is a story of them suddenly living together and describes the happiness of living together from both point of views.

This series is definitely underrated. My Roommate is a Cat is filled shows how much of an impact a person...or in this case a cat...can have on a person who has lived a life of solitude and books. The main character, Subaru Mikazuki, begins to slowly open up to those around him thanks to the help of a stray cat: Haru. From Haru’s point of view, Subaru is someone whom she desires to protect and take care of, as she fears that he cannot survive without her. Subaru also comes to term with his parents’ deaths and learns to move past his guilt, and realizes that there are many people who love and care for him.

This series shows that it’s ok to open up to the people around you, and that no one is truly alone.

4. And Yet The Town Moves

Plot: Hotori Arashiyama loves mysteries, but there’s one she just can’t solve: why does the solution to one problem inevitably seem to lead to another? Like how when Hotori has to start working at the Seaside Maid Cafe after school to pay off a debt and her friend Toshiko fortunately knows exactly how a Maid Cafe should be run. Which is fortunate since Hotori has no clue. Except that, unfortunately, Toshiko has no interest in working at the cafe—until she discovers that Hotori’s childhood friend Hiroyuki is a regular. Which SEEMS fortunate. Except that Hotori doesn’t know that, while Toshiko likes Hiroyuki, Hiroyuki secretly likes Hotori, while Hotori secretly has a crush on… No, no more spoilers!But if that’s not enough drama, there’s work, angst with a certain math teacher, table tennis between her classmates, her younger brother versus the school’s bad girl… And yet, even though everything seems like it’s going to crash at any moment, somehow Hotori’s life keeps going hilariously forward.

Sure...it doesn’t have sexy and cute maids that most maid-theme anime has... But And Yet The Town Moves is still a series worth watching. The series features cute, slice-of-life storylines filled with antics by the mystery-loving Hotori Arashiyama. Because of her crazy antics and goofy nature, Hotori brings laughter and new experiences to those around her. 

If you want an anime featuring klutzy maids and funny slice of life, then And Yet The Town Moves is definitely the right choice. 

5. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

Plot: Midori Asakusa wants to create an anime, but she's too disheartened to make that first step by herself. By pure chance, she meets Tsubame Mizusaki, an up-and-coming socialite secretly dreaming of becoming an animator. Together with Midori's money-loving best friend Sayaka Kanamori, the energetic trio start the "Eizouken" club and slowly work towards making their "greatest world" a reality.

This anime is truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! has animation that is truly breathtaking and filled with the imaginations of aspiring animators. Throughout the series, our three protagonists: Midori, Sayaki, Tsubame experience the hardships of running their own studio, all the while dealing with the Student Council and School Board who wish to shut down Eizouken. But no matter how hard they try, there is no stopping these three girls from making anime and running their studio. 

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! has such brilliant animation, creative storylines, and normal looking characters who viewers can relate to. If your dream is to become an animator, than you certainly learn a lot from this series.

6. Angels of Death

Plot: 13-year old Rachel awakens to find herself trapped in the basement of an abandoned building. Without any memories, or even a clue as to where she could be, she wanders the building, lost and dizzy. In her search, she comes across a man covered in bandages. He introduces himself as Zack and he wields a grim-reaper like sickle.A strange bond is struck between them, strengthened by strange, crazy promises…These two, trapped in this strange building, don’t know why fate has placed them there. But they will work together desperately to find a way out…

Rachel and Zack are quite an unlikely duo...yet their skills and personalities are what complete each other: Rachel is calm and calculating, while Zack is aggressive and strong. But they have something in common: They both suffered their whole lives, became killers, and being killers is what got them trapped in the mysterious building in the first place. Together, they face various serial killers who want to keep them from escaping: A doctor with an eye fetish, a pumpkin-headed child who wants to bury Rachel in his graveyard, a female-prison warden who’s obsessed with punishing ‘sinners’, and a faithless priest whose goal is to test the faith of those who fall victim to the killers within the building. 

Angels of Death is filled with such mystery and psychological thrills. While it is not for the faint of heart...it is definitely for those who wish to find a good psychological thriller to watch.

7. Zombieland Saga

Plot: In the year 2008, high school student Sakura Minamoto is abruptly killed by a truck on the morning she plans to submit an idol application. Ten years later, Sakura, along with six "legendary" girls from various eras of Japan's history, are brought back as zombies by a man named Kotaro Tatsumi, who seeks to revitalize Saga Prefecture by putting together an all-zombie idol group known as Franchouchou.

Unlike most ‘pop idol’ anime series, that feature cute girls whose music can save the world...this one features cute girls who are zombies who were brought back to life to save a city as a pop idol group. While it seems unusual, Zombieland Saga shows the viewers all the things that Saga has to offer...because it basically advertises the entire prefecture. The members of Franchouchou: Sakura, Saki, Ai, Junko, Lily, Yugiri, and Tae...are determined to become a great idol group while keeping their true identities a secret. Thanks to their mysterious manager, Kotaro Tatsumi, they are given a second chance at life and learn more about each other...but they also help each other move on from their deaths and give closure to the loved ones that they had to leave behind. 

If you are looking for a ‘pop idol girl’ anime that is different from others...then Zombieland Saga is definitely a good choice, as it does differ from the usual plots that anime featuring pop idol groups has.

8. Mitsuboshi Colors

Plot: Set in Ueno. The series follows three elementary school girls, Yui, Sat-chan, and Kotoha, who together form an organization known as "Colors". Together, they perform various deeds and errands to protect the peace in their town.

This series is very adorable and is filled with a lot of hilarity. What makes it hilarious, are the crazy antics of the crybaby Yui, the rambunctious Sat-chan, and the dark-humored Kotoha as they try to help others and maintain the peace in the town that they love so much. They recieve help from local shop owner, Pops, who gives them clues to solve, and are often coming into conflict with police officer Saito, who sees them as nothing but trouble while dealing with their childish antics. 

Mitsuboshi Colors really does make you want to go to the real Ueno in Japan, and see all the shops featured within this series.

9. Lovely Muco

Plot: The series depicts the life of the pet dog Muco and his owner Komatsu, who lives in his glass-making workshop in the mountains.

Lovely Muco shows life through the eyes of Muco, a shiba inu who lives in a mountain town with her owner, Komatsu, who works as a glass blower. Muco is an energetic dog who finds everything around her fascinating. Muco loves Komatsu more than anything in the world, who gives her lots of love in return. Muco also interacts with other people such as Komatsu’s long-time friend, Ushikou-san, bar owner Bouda and his energetic daughter Rena. 

Lovely Muco shows the viewer how the world looks through the eyes of a dog, and what goes through their curious minds.

10. Chi’s Sweet Home

Plot: A grey and white kitten with black stripes wanders away from her mother and siblings one day while enjoying a walk outside with her family. Lost in her surroundings, the kitten struggles to find her family and instead is found by a young boy, Youhei, and his mother. They take the kitten home, but, as pets are not allowed in their housing complex, they try to find her a new home. This proves to be difficult, and the family decides to keep the kitten. While being housebroken, the kitten mistakenly answers to "Chi" (as in shi- from shikko, the Japanese word for "urine") and this becomes her name. Chi then lives with her new family, learning about different things and meeting new people and animals.

This series is filled with so much love and cuteness that it could give you diabetes. Chi’s New Home shows viewers how the world looks through the eyes young kitten ‘Chi’, as she grows to love her human family and makes new friends along the way. Chi and her family love each other greatly, and cannot imagine living without each other.

Chi’s Sweet Home shows us just how important family is, and how a new member of one’s family can bring so much love and joy into one’s life.